CLIMATE AND VEGETATION - Niger presents from South to North three climatic zones:
The Sudanese or south - Sahelian zone:
It is limited to the North by a line going from the 15 ° of latitude West and a little less than 14 ° East. This part is the most sprayed of the country with between 800 and 900 mm of water a year. The humidity is increased in the Southwest area which receives up to 870 mm ( Gaya). Region with agricultural vocation, it offers, next to a vegetation of raised savanna and arbustive, cultures of mil, sorghum, corn and groundnut.
The Sahelian zone (centre Sahelian and north - Sahelian):
In the North of the previous one, this zone receives 200 in 600 mm of water a year. The humidity decreases there eastward and especially northward. Marked by a vegetation of steppe in thorny and with locust trees, it remains the region of preference for breeding.
The desert Saharan or Sahelian zone:
It is immense and recovers 1 120 000 km2. Thorny vegetation and herbaceous carpets become more and more rare there as one moves northward and Northeast. The cultures are practised in Koris in the centre and in oases of Kaouar and Djado in Northeast. The temperature presents very marked extremes: very warm in the daytime and very cold at night.
The climate of Niger is characterized in general by:
A very high average temperature (approximately 30°C).
Well cut seasons:
- brief rainy season or wintering from June till September.
- long season dries from October till May, characterized by a decline of the temperatures (cold dry season from December till February), and a very warm period (warm dry season in April and May) during which the temperature can achieve 45°C or more!!!